1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a combination ankle motion, exerciser and development machine, and more particularly, the invention is directed to an improved ankle rehabilitation and ankle fitness machine. The combination ankle machine described herein is designed to rehabilitate and strengthen the plantar and dorsal muscle groups of the foot and ankle.
The invention further relates to an improved method of ankle rehabilitation and fitness which provides a method to strengthen vital lower extremity muscular development previously neglected by fitness programs. The machine is designed to progressively condition and strengthen the ankle joint and various muscle groups of the lower leg. Progressive development in these areas will enhance athletic performance and provide insurance against injury in all activities involving running and jumping. In addition, the use of these machines will provide benefit to the fitness conscious person and improve the well-being member of the general public who use the apparatus.
The combination plantar flexion/dorsiflexion ankle machine of the invention may be used in a variety of fields, but is directed particularly toward rehabilitation and fitness. First, rehabilitation centers could use this equipment therapeutically to help bring about a recovery of various types of ankle and lower leg injuries. Proper rehabilitation prevents recurring and repetitive injuries, which are often due to resuming activities without proper treatment. Second, fitness centers could use this equipment within various exercise programs to strengthen plantar flexion and dorsiflexion movement of the ankle and foot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various prior art ankle machines and ankle exercisers and the like, as well as the apparatus and method of their construction in general, are known, and those found to be exemplary of the U.S. prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,830,816, 3,525,522, 4,159,111, 4,199,137 and 4,371,160.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,137 to Giguere discloses an apparatus which provides for progressive foot rehabilitation. This machine is directed toward a rehabilitation device for recovering patients of fractures of the ankle bone as well as in certain cases of ankle sprain or strain. The Giguere patent discloses a machine which provides for ankle rehabilitation while standing or sitting. While the Giguere patent discloses similar functions including plantar flexion and dorsiflextion, it does not comprise all the features of my invention. First, this invention utilizes spring operated tension for resistance. In contrast, my invention utilizes weights for resistance. This provides for a more accurate method of measuring progress and eliminates the problem of variable elasticity coefficients commonly occuring in spring operated systems. Furthermore, my invention provides for a pin operated resistance selector, whereas the Giguere invention uses a wingnut operated resistance selector. Second, the Giguere invention has a ball-and-socket fulcrum of rotation located near the center of the foot. My invention utilizes brass bushings for the fulcrum of rotation and is positioned at the ankle joint where both horizontal and vertical rotations of the foot take place. The position of the fulcrum of rotation of my invention further provides isolation of muscle groups of the ankle not provided for in the Giguere invention.
Other various prior art ankle machines and ankle exercisers and the like disclosed in the above-mentioned patents, are designed for rehabilitation or strengthening of dorsal muscle groups. These inventions were designed to exercise only one motion of the foot, whereas my invention provides for both plantar flexion and dorsiflexion motions. Furthermore, these various prior art devices provide resistance by spring tension, elastic tension, and or direct friction, whereas my invention provides standard 10 lb steel plates for resistance on plantar flexion exercise and standard 5 pound steel plates for the dorsiflexion exercise.
These patents or known prior uses teach and disclose various types of ankle rehabilitation and ankle exercise devices of sorts and of various manufactures and the like, as well as methods of their construction; but none of them, whether taken singly or in combination, disclose the specific details of the combination of the invention in such a way as to bear upon the claims of the present invention.